[AlaskaAngel]

I'd say that is a fair guess, JessicaV.

With the variations in radiologic practices and locations and facilities, I am wondering what is commonly done on a very widespread basis (no matter what facility or country) at the very least for mammograms that show the breasts are dense and don't show any abnormality. What I'm wondering is, is it already general basic common practice to add an ultrasound for dense breasts with no noted abnormality, to see if the ultrasound picks up anything abnormal?

Or perhaps if the mammogram shows dense breasts maybe it is at least standard basic practice for them to change from a screening mammogram automatically to a diagnostic one (perhaps adding an ultrasound)?

If we knew that.... at least we would share a better sense of what to accept and what not to for the time being as a higher standard to go by, rather than the vague concept of the recommendation for some kind of "further testing" for breasts that are dense.

I know "further testing" most likely refers to additional radiologic imaging. But I have wondered if perhaps what the value might be of instead or in addition having patients with particularly dense breasts have a CA 15-3 or CA 27.29 done as just one more possible indicator -- even though they too are not absolutely reliable for everyone.

A.A.

P.S. StephN - thanks for the clarification on your mammo.